


Wolf Whistles 8

by 852_Prospect_Archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: AU, Alternate Universes, Episode Related, Humor, M/F - Category, Partner Betrayal, Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 08:21:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/795976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/852_Prospect_Archivist/pseuds/852_Prospect_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While experiencing Megan's driving for the first time, Blair wonders if only silver bullets can kill werewolves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wolf Whistles 8

## Wolf Whistles 8

by Athena

Author's website:  <http://fateordestiny.com>

No animals were harmed while writing this story.

I thank Mrs. Tilford for her beta and I thank Becky for her Sentinel transcripts.

Spoilers for Foreign Exchange, Neighborhood Watch and Sentinel Two. I wanted Jim and Blair to stay together, but they had other plans. I'm only the writer; the characters don't listen to me.

This story is a sequel to: Wolf Whistles 7 

* * *

Blair came up behind them and sneaked a hug from Jim. "Her plane's in, but she's not at the gate. She's not at the baggage carousel, so I guess she's probably stuck in customs or something." 

"You use the courtesy telephone, page her?" said Simon, standing by his beautiful new scratch-free shiny silver car. 

"I told them to tell her that there were three handsome guys are waiting by a silver car." Blair grinned. 

"Huh. I see two." Simon laughed. 

Jim laughed, too. "Yeah. That's my count. Why doesn't she just take a cab?" 

Blair looked at his feet. He might no longer be handsome, but he passed for cute on the days he didn't drool too much or bark too loudly. He knew the guys were only playing with him, but it still hurt. At least, the ladies thought Chief was cute, especially when he tackled bank robbers. 

Simon explained, "Well, she's a visiting officer, Jim. It's not proper protocol." 

"So when can we expect the marching band?" Jim teased. 

"The officer exchange program is vital to the department for upgrading its training," said Simon. 

"I got the memo, Captain." 

Behind them, Megan Conner, in a coat with a pink fur top and hem, appeared at the doors leading onto the curbside waiting area. Blair smelled a lady who deodorized herself after a long plane flight with a bottle of cheap airport perfume. If he could smell her, Jim could too. 

"The last thing I need are tips from some female Crocodile Dundee out to bust beer-soaked kangaroos," said Jim. Apparently Jim had set his olfactory dial at zero or negative one. 

Blair looked past Jim as Megan stopped behind him. 

"The only crocs I've seen are at the Sydney Zoo and the roos I know prefer vodka," said Megan. Blair just smiled at her. Jim, lost for words, looked away. Finally, she spoke to Simon, "Inspector Megan Conner, New South Wales Police Services." 

"Inspector Conner, I'm Captain Simon Banks, Major Crimes Cascade Police Department," said Simon. 

"Pleasure," said Megan 

Blair waved awkwardly. "Hi. I'm Blair Sandburg." 

"You must work narcotics," said Megan. 

"Uh...no. Actually, I'm a clerk-typist. Rhonda, Simon's secretary, was out with the flu. I'm filling in." Blair sounded more Blair-like than he had for weeks. Simon said no riding along; welcoming a visiting officer wasn't police work. 

"And the comedian is?" asked Megan. 

"I'm Detective Jim Ellison. About the comment, I apologize." Jim apologized. Blair was about to faint. Actually, Jim had been apologizing a lot lately, usually about the wrong things. 

"I like a man who says what he feels even if his statements are wrong." Megan seemed like a nice woman, but would she give Chief dog treats and scratch behind his ears? That was the important test. 

Blair helped Simon load his truck. He woke up as a wolf most mornings, but he didn't get superhuman strength. Life was a bummer. At least, he didn't get hungry for human flesh either. He was a pacifist werewolf. He ate t-bones and kibble, pissed on Cassie's leg, tackled bad guys and licked people. 

Jim scanned across the parking area and saw two armed men in a dark van. A security guard came out of the currency exchange office. One of the gunman yelled, "Don't move!" pointing a gun at the guard. 

Another gunman came out behind the guard and sprayed the man in the face. Jim headed back to the car. 

"Kick it over," said a gunman. 

Another guard kicked his gun over. 

The gunman yelled, "Now, lie on your stomach. Move! Come on. Let's go!" 

The gunmen loaded into the van. Jim reached the back of Simon's car and started closing the trunk. 

"What are you doing? Jim?" Simon yelled. 

Jim got into Simon's car, sliding behind the wheel. Simon hurried into the passenger seat. "Armored car heist in progress, sir," Jim explained. 

They took off in a screech of tires. Megan took out her badge and commandeered a taxi then processed to drive on the wrong side of the road. Blair wanted to take back everything he ever said about Jim's driving. They spotted the van and turned. 

"There they are," Blair yelled. 

"Shoot their tires out!" Megan shouted. 

"With what? I don't have a gun! I'm the secretary." Blair wasn't giving Megan a biscuit. 

Jim and Simon chased after the van down another stretch of garage lane. Simon fired out the window. Megan and Blair tore down another ramp and ended up in front of the chase. She pulled the taxi around to block the van's path. 

"What are you doing?" Blair had heard that only silver and possibly fire could kill a werewolf. Like all his other werewolf research, supernatural healing ability was contradicted by more than one source. Although he healed minor cuts and bruises by changing species, this was one theory he didn't want to test. 

"Don't worry. Hang on." Megan Conner, the crazed Aussie, yelled. 

"What the hell are you doing?" Blair yanked Megan away from the seat to pull them both out of the taxi as the van approached them at full speed. The van hit the taxi and came to a stop. Simon and Jim came out of the silver car. Simon had his gun out still. Jim got his out. 

Simon pointed his gun. "Out of the car! Now!" 

The bad guys got out of the van. 

"Hands where I can see them! Weapons down! Move! Let's go!" yelled Simon 

"Put your hands on the hood over here." Jim pushed one of the perpetrators onto the side of the severely dented taxi. "Face down! Face down!" 

Jim and Megan each cuffed a bad guy. 

Later, Blair went back to typing at Rhonda's desk at the office. Although he appreciated the paycheck, he wanted Rhonda to get over the flu as quickly as possible. Typing Henri's reports and filing was less annoying work. Simon had shoved ADA up the right people's asses to get Blair hired in record time. 

When Megan entered Simon's office, the Captain addressed her sternly. "Inspector Conner. I believe we need to get a few things straight. While I appreciate your assistance this afternoon-" 

"Assistance, sir?" said Megan. "I believe Sandy and I actually stopped the suspects." 

Jim looked at Blair. "Sandy?" 

Blair didn't say a word and continued his typing. Sandy was a name for a Labrador Retriever. Timber wolves went by names like Bruno and Killer. He wasn't exactly Killer, although Simon did once accuse him of nearly licking him to death. 

* * *

Blair played the family dog when Jim and Megan were assigned to neighborhood watch. It was better than pretending to be Jim's nephew. Blair clung to Jim's side when Megan and Jim kissed. 

"Conner, how far are we willing to take this job here? Are we going to, uh, share a bed?" asked Jim. 

"Whatever it takes." Megan beamed. Fake beaming since Blair didn't smell any arousal coming from her. "Honey." 

"We won't even be sharing a room," said Jim 

"What will people think?" Megan said. 

"People won't be peeking in on us," said Jim. 

"Why not? We'll be peeking in on them." Megan had a point. As a reward, she got to rub the wolf's tummy. However, as the one with the determination and fangs, Blair got to share the master bedroom with Jim. 

Blair played catch with the neighbor's kid, Rachel. Later, he caught Lonnie Stevens as he tried to flee with the child. Jim might have had the gun, but Blair had the fangs. 

Afterwards, Jim told Katie to get a big dog like a German Shepard to guard Rachel. "Chief is Jim's special friend," said the little girl. 

* * *

Blair accepted the pattern of his life. He didn't change into a wolf during the day if he let himself change at night. While Blair was finishing up his filing, he saw Megan taking a statement from a tall slender blonde woman. The woman looked nervous; most people brought in for a statement did. However, this woman was jumping-out-her-skin nervous. 

"Are we through, Officer?" said the jittery woman. 

"Nearly, Ms. Barnes. Pending your blood test of course. And it's Inspector, if you don't mind," Megan said. 

Although she was clutching herself like she was going to fall apart, Ms. Barnes threw her head back, giving Megan attitude. "There are no drugs or alcohol in me, Inspector." 

"But cars don't demolish themselves on their own whim, do they?" 

Brown came into the bullpen to find Blair at his desk. "You're here kind of late." 

"Yeah. I can't stay at home, because Jim's just driving me crazy. I swear, it's like living with an evil stepfather. 'Turn down that music!' 'Get your feet off the couch!' It's driving me crazy." Blair pointed to Megan and Barnes. "Hey, Brown, you know what's going on over there?" 

"Yes. Connor was on her way in. Girl was sitting on a curb, car wrapped around a telephone pole. The girl was like yelling and screaming that the lights were killing her eyes and then she started bugging out about how the noise was getting to her. So I don't know what's going on." 

Blair perked his head up. Her symptoms sounded awfully familiar. He should really call it a day. Soon his lycanthropy would start interfering and he had promised no howling in the bullpen. "Really?" 

"Yeah, well, it was crazy." 

"Tell you what, I will bring that over to Megan." Blair took the folder from Brown and walked over to Megan's desk. 

Megan was entered data into her computer. "An oncoming car flashes its brights so you can't see. That, I can buy. But why start to disrobe in the middle of the highway?" 

"I... my skin hurt." Barnes stuttered. "The clothes felt like sandpaper all of a sudden. I don't know." 

"Megan, here's that blood test you wanted." After Blair handed her the folder, he stayed for a moment, then went to stand near the door. 

Megan gave the blood work a quick glance. "Thanks, Sandy. Oh. Negative." 

Barnes beamed. "Negative. May I leave now?" 

Megan pushed the statement toward the arrogant woman. "Please sign here. Collect your belongings at the booking desk downstairs and see a doctor." 

When Barnes went to leave, Blair followed her to the hallway and stopped her. "Excuse me, miss? Hi. My name's Blair Sandburg, and I'm a consultant to the police department. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about the light hurting your eyes and about your clothes making your skin ache." Blair hadn't been a consultant since he started getting furry, but Barnes didn't need to know that. 

Alex held her head up over him, refusing to make eye contact, as if to say you are short and insignificant. "Read the report." 

"Do colors seem more vivid? Do smells seem more powerful?" 

"Look, I've already been to three different doctors. None of them could tell me what's wrong." She finally established eye contact with him. Not only did she establish eye contact, she looked right through him as though she could see out the other side. Only Jim could give Blair stares like that. She was another sentinel; no doubt lingered in his mind. 

"That's no surprise. Look, have you recently experienced any prolonged traumatic isolation?" 

"Who the hell are you?" 

"Nobody." Blair looked at his feet. She walked off, dismissing him as a nosy file clerk. He didn't feel much like an anthropologist, spending most of his time on four-legs. This was the one time he wished he still had his office in Rainier because he would have liked meeting another sentinel if only to compare notes. He took the bus home. 

* * *

When Blair came home to the loft, Jim greeted him with a pointed gun. Blair probably blew his only chance to meet another sentinel; he didn't need Jim freaking out on him, too. "He Oh, hey. Jim, I live here, too, remember?" Blair stood, afraid to move, in the hallway in front of the open door. 

Jim put down the gun. "Sorry, Chief. I guess I'm just a little jumpy." Once they went inside the loft, Jim locked and double-checked the door. Then he finally returned to his one-handed cooking. 

"I'd say so. How's the arm?" 

"Doc says I can go back to work on Monday." 

"Mmm, good. Good. I'm sure everybody will be really glad when that happens. So, uh... what was the deal with the greeting, man? You having some sort of a -." Psychotic episode. Hopefully, there weren't silver bullets in that gun. 

Jim put IAMs in a bowl and refilled the water. "No." 

"Oh, hey, I was down at the station doing my work, and I met this woman." 

Jim walked off. "Look, Chief, why don't you spare me the details?" 

_If you won't want to talk, I don't have talk to you, either._ He only wanted to tell Jim that he had met another sentinel. After showering, Blair grew furry and pretended he could no longer understand English. Jim spent the evening, sitting in the dark loft, ranting about South American jungles and spotted jaguars. Good thing that wolves have excellent night vision. 

Blair decided to remain lupine until Jim was out of his evil stepfather mood. The next night Jim was still ranting nonsense and packing their stuff into boxes to put in the basement. Megan gathered Blair's dog food, water bowl and leash. Then she took him to her apartment. After she set his food and water on her kitchen floor, she patted Blair. "Chief, you'll be safe here. Jimbo seemed to be a kick the dog mood." 

Blair licked Megan's face. 

"You're a beautiful animal." She sat on the sofa. "You're the first male I've invited to my flat. Pretty pathetic, huh?" 

Blair climbed onto the sofa and rested his head against hers. 

"I don't get Sandy; one minute he's discussing the Ascent of Man, then the next he's staring off into space. I was so floored when he told me about the different tribes of man that left Africa." She patted Blair then scratched behind his ears. "I miss my mates. I hope Sandy's all right; he's not answering his cell phone. I wouldn't be surprised if Sandy left because Jimbo put a gun to his head." 

_How did you know? Sandy's all right; he's right here._ Blair cuddled with Megan. He didn't know how Megan would feel about a naked man in her flat, but he couldn't let her worry needlessly. He forced himself to change after being a wolf for nearly two days. 

"Oh my God," yelled Megan. She leaped off the sofa. "Did I see that? I mean, Sandy." 

"Megan, it is OK," said Blair. "Your flat is a bit cold. Do you have a blanket?" 

"Sure." Megan came back to living room with a comforter. "Sandy, I don't have anything for you to wear." 

"The blanket is fine," said Blair. "I grow my own fur coat." 

"You are Chief?" she said. 

"That is obvious." Blair smiled. "I didn't want you worrying about me when I was on your sofa. Do you need to talk?" 

Megan shook her head. 

Blair wrapped himself in the blanket. "Alex has heightened senses. She's a natural sentinel, a watchman. She can see, hear, feel, smell and taste things other people can't that is why she acted so strangely. She was having sensory spikes." 

"How do you know this?" 

"I studied the myth in college. My doctorial thesis would have been on sentinels if I continued my education, but my condition prevents me from being able to concentrate. I can't write a thesis when I don't have enough patience to read a novel," Blair said. 

"How did this happen?" 

"I don't know. Jim and I looked for clues for over two weeks and found nothing." 

"Is Jim a sentinel?" 

"Two secrets in one night." Blair fell asleep on Megan's sofa and woke up human. Over forty-eight hours in lupine form messed up his circadian rhythm. Forcing himself to change into a wolf in the morning would make things worse. He stretched on Megan's floor and started doing yoga. 

Megan jumped when she saw Blair doing his Sun Salutations. Damn, Megan wasn't a rabbit or muskrat. Why did he have to response to every movement like it was dinner? He went back to Ashtanga yoga, Power Yoga. He needed to do five more Sun Salutations before moving on to the rest of his morning exercise routine. Megan sat on her sofa to watch. 

Blair focused on his body relaxing as he did his Savasana, corpse pose. Megan was not in his peripheral vision. He hated that at this moment all the meditation in the world could not stop him from seeing Megan as food. Blair went to the kitchen to make his morning tea. "Good morning, Megan." 

"Hi, Sandy." Megan blushed. "After I got over the shock of a naked man doing yoga in my living room, I found it quite beautiful to watch." 

"Megan, please. I need to eat," said Blair. "I'll prefer raw meat, but anything will do." 

"Are eggs and bacon ok?" asked Megan. 

Blair said, "Do you have cold cereal or bread? I need food fast." 

Megan handed him a half empty box of Wheaties cereal. Blair put his hand into the box and started eating. He had never let himself get hungry enough that a human being looked like food. Megan might had looked at him with lust, but his looks weren't lust. 

"Sandy, I realize you don't mind being naked, but it would make me feel better if I bought you some clothes at Wal-Mart to wear." 

"I'm not naked. I'm wearing my tags." 

"Watching you do yoga is an experience. Your body flows with an inhuman grace." 

"I've been doing yoga since I was a small child. I can teach you." 

"I'm more into weight lifting and running." Megan looked at the floor. 

"I'll eat your cold cereal and the dog food until you come back with clothes," said Blair. "I have more yoga positions to do. I promise not to scratch the furniture." 

Surprisingly sharing secrets with Megan made Megan and Jim play nice. After Sierra Verde and the nerve gas, Jim had come back from Sierra Verde a changed man. Blair wondered if Jim and Alex had compared notes, but when Blair bought up the subject, Jim grunted and wanted his werewolf companion to fetch him another beer from the fridge. 

Megan ended up playing with "Chief" more than any of the other cops at Major Crimes. Jim and Megan also went out without Blair. Megan hadn't told Jim that she knew Blair's secret. She was probably holding onto Blair's secret as a future weapon against Jim. Anyone who wrestled a 160-pound wolf like he was a puppy dog was aces in Blair's book. 

* * *

Late one afternoon, Blair received a call from the Red Cross saying Naomi had been in an avalanche while skiing. The Red Cross lady also said that they were still evacuating the area and she might still be found. Blair insisted that they help with the rescue. 

"You hate snow," said Jim. 

"It's my mother," said Blair. "I'm getting the tickets over the Internet. With my nose and your nose, we stand a better chance of finding her than any ski patrol." 

Jim looked over Blair's shoulder at the computer monitor. "That's a night flight. When was the last time you stayed human while sleeping?" 

Blair didn't push the confirm button, yet. "Your point?" 

"I tend to zone out on planes. I'm not entertaining a sleepy werewolf." 

"I can drink coffee before the flight." 

"And if the coffee fails? We don't need airport security, animal control and who knows who else shooting you with tranquilizers or worse." 

Blair folded his arms over his chest. "I'm not going on a plane as cargo." 

"Take a morning flight," said Jim. 

"My mother could be dead by morning." 

"Chief, change the reservation to one person and one large animal." Jim messaged Blair's neck and back. "Honey, if you want to check the ski trails for your mother, you don't sweat the details." 

"You get a nice seat with airline food. I get to sit in a cage." 

"We can fly home during daylight hours. You can enjoy the airline food then." 

Blair got Jim his ticket and confirmed that he would be traveling with his pet. "You're so funny." Just when he thought his life couldn't sink lower, it did. They bought the cage at their favorite pet store. Everyone in the neighborhood knew Chief because he was probably the only timber wolf living in Cascade. Blair adored the waving and petting. 

Lisa, the cashier that evening, smiled at Blair as usual. "You traveling?" 

"To Colorado," said Jim. "We need to do search and rescue. Chief is one of the few trained wolves in the country." 

She petted Blair after she rung up the sale. "He's pretty special." 

Blair filled a suitcase with winter clothing for himself and the muumuu his mother left the last time she visited. She might need dry clothes. Before the flight, he drank his special sleepy blend. He had told his mother about quitting teaching and his new job, but "Mom, I'm a werewolf" wasn't something he could write in a letter or say over a phone. Naomi didn't know her son ate kibble and drank from a water bowl. 

They drove straight from the airport to the lodge near the Aspen Colorado where his mother was staying before she disappeared. Blair decided to remain a wolf because he liked having a permanent fur coat, warmer that way. At the rescue vehicle lot, Jim showed his badge then put thermal blankets and a First Aid kit in a snowmobile (snow-ambulance), a small cut-off ambulance on skis. "I was a medic in the army." 

"It's night. Wait till morning." 

Jim continued to put supplies in the snow-ambulance. "Wolves hunt at night." 

"He's military-trained, too?" 

Jim gave the paramedic on duty his best trained-killer glance. "Chief is trained by me." 

"I'd better show you the trails so we don't add another missing person to the list." Ethan Kim, the paramedic, filled another bag with supplies. He had been notified that a Detective James Ellison and his police wolf were arriving. Ellison was ex-military, gung ho and one of the missing skiers was a close personal friend. Kim had his hands full trying to keep this one alive. "Ski trails aren't the jungle." 

After Blair got in the back seat with the blankets, Jim tucked him in. "OK, Chief?" 

Ethan Kim and another paramedic took the snowmobile to the avalanche zone. Jim followed. When the first vehicle stopped, Jim stopped his vehicle and helped Blair out of the back seat. 

Jim wrapped a leash around his hand, but let Blair wander free. "I'm going to let Chief sniff out the area." 

"What's he sniffing for?" asked Ethan. 

"Human musk, human blood and a dozen things. Wolves and dogs can distinguish smells like people can distinguish color. Chief is trained to find people in rubble or under snowdrifts. Let him do his job." Jim didn't say that he could distinguish more scents than Blair. Before Blair got the typing job, Jim sometimes gave Blair the credit for things Jim heard or smelled. Then, again, he didn't know if Blair didn't sense them the same time he did. He thought he'd covered himself well until Conner learned he was a sentinel. 

Blair sniffed at the snow banks. He couldn't smell anything that said human beings were buried nearby. As he sniffed around, he wondered about his mother's smell. He could remember the smell of her cookies, her hairspray, her Arm and Hammer deodorant, the sage, her wild flower incense, and a hundred other little things that said Mommy, but not a smell that was Naomi Sandburg. He knew everyone at Major Crimes by smell; he knew Mrs. Smith, the cat owner; most of the people in his neighborhood, even Lisa, the cashier, but not his own mother. Jim had probably washed the muumuu, so it no longer had Naomi's odor. Blair was here to find the three missing skiers. When he found his mother, he would take in her scent. Right now it wasn't important. 

He went to the next snow bank. No human smells, but a rabbit or two were frozen in the snow. It wasn't the time to be thinking with his stomach. However, he hadn't eaten since before boarding the plane in Cascade and the rabbit smelled good. He started digging in the snow. 

Ethan Kim shined a flashlight on the animal. "Your trained wolf found something." 

The other paramedic walked over and yawned. "Ellison, you shouldn't walk around without a flashlight." 

"I trust Chief with my life," said Jim. "What did you find?" 

Blair dug fairly far into the snow bank and grabbed something with his teeth then climbed out. 

Kim started laughing. "He found a rabbit." 

The female paramedic laughed, too. "Some trained animal. He hunts for his dinner on our dime." 

Jim knelt down on the snow as Blair ate the frozen rabbit and hoped Naomi didn't look like that rabbit. The rabbit was buried at the same time the skiers were, which was why they couldn't wait till morning. After Blair finished his dinner, he started sniffing around for clues to where the human beings were buried. 

"Chief, show me where." 

Kim patted Ellison on the shoulder. "You should train dogs like everyone else. A wolf is a wild animal. It got what it came for. We are the fools." 

Blair went over to a big snow bank resting on a mountainside. The snow bank was large enough to have air pockets with live people inside. Blair was sniffing and pawing at it. 

"Chief, do you smell Naomi and the other skiers?" 

Blair dug in with his pawns into the snow bank. He didn't smell people inside. However, he smelled a leather bag or large belt. It couldn't be his mother's. She wasn't vegan; neither did she buy large leather items. That cowhide must belong to someone else. If he dug further, perhaps, he would smell other things that people owned. He barked at Jim and the others. _Stupid humans, get some shovels and help me. I can only dig so fast with my paws._

As the cold bothered his nose, he dug deeper into the embankment. The rest of him was well insulated. He was digging into a wall of snow and he didn't feel cold. Then, again, timber wolves live in Alaska and the far reaches of Canada. They thrived in cold as long as they could find prey to sustain them through the months of near famine. His cold nose refused to tell him if any other odors lingered, but he had smelled the leather and was driven. The leather purse was found. He held this in his mouth, backed out of his tunnel, then showed Jim his first clue. 

Jim took the purse from Blair's mouth. "He found something. The skiers could be here or nearby." 

Blair sneezed. 

"Bless you," said Jim. 

_Thanks for noticing me. I'm the one doing all the work._ The sneeze worked. His lupine nose was picking up scents, again. People were in the large snow bank or had recently been. There were trace smells of skiers in this whole area. 

When the paramedics returned to the snowmobile for a break and probably to laugh some more about Ellison's police wolf finding the rabbit, Jim hugged Blair. "Chief, I smell your mother and the two other skiers. I also hear breathing so they are still alive." 

Blair didn't know how Jim could hear or smell anything through the barrier of snow. However, Jim was the sentinel. With Barnes in a mental hospital, the one and only that Blair knew about. When Jim went to Sierra Verde alone, Blair knew he had failed Jim as a guide. He wouldn't fail him as a lupine companion. _Let's free my mom and her friends._

After Jim showed him the best place to start digging, Blair tunneled into the snow with his paws. The snow must have been several feet thick. As the snow between him and the mountainside got to be less, he could hear breathing and smell people in wet, chilly clothing. He smelled Mom's natural shampoo and the sage in her clothes. She was alive. He had to dig faster. _Jim has a thermal blanket in the snowmobile. It is only a little further._

After breaking free of the snow and ice, Blair could see three shadows huddled in the snow. One of the female skiers, not Mommy, turned on a flashlight. The light reflecting off the snow caused a lot of glare for such a small lamp. Blair barked, seeing his mommy in the light. 

Naomi backed into the snow bank, obviously terrified, and yelled, "Stay away!" 

_Mommy, I'm Blair, your baby boy._

As he started to lick her face, she cringed, flailing her arms as tears of fright ran down her face. His mother saw a strange wolf in the diffuse light. All her panicking was going to start a second avalanche. Stopping the failing, she noticed the glare of his metal tags. "You're a rescue animal." 

Blair nodded then turned toward the tunnel he had dug. 

One of the other female skiers said, "Naomi, he wants us to follow." 

Naomi borrowed the flashlight to read Blair's tags. "Chief, you're a long way from Cascade. Jim Ellison - it couldn't be the same one. He's allergic to everything." 

Blair licked her face, again. 

"That's the number to the loft." Naomi laughed. "Chief, are Blair and Jim waiting with the paramedics?" 

He nodded, having to get them to follow him back through the tunnel. As the walls started to collapse, he heard a person with a shovel. Now the shovel! He crawled back through his tunnel because any tunnel large enough for a male timber wolf could take the three female skiers to safety. A Blair-sized tunnel wouldn't be wide enough for a man Simon's or Jim's size, but these ladies were all on the slender side. He hoped the idiot with the shovel didn't make his escape tunnel collapse around the ladies. 

Jim and the paramedics greeted the skiers with thermal blankets and hot coffee. Blair shook the snow out of his fur then shook some more. Jim then opened the back door of the snow-ambulance for Naomi. "Let's get you to the lodge. You need to get out of the wet clothes and into something dry." 

"Dry would be good about now." Naomi gave Jim her coffee thermal, pulling the blanket close to her inside the heated snow-ambulance as Ethan helped the other two women inside and offered them coffee. 

Jim handed her back her coffee and attempted to pull Blair off of Naomi's leg. "Chief, you need to ride up front with me." 

"It looks like I've made a new friend." Naomi scratched behind the wolf's ears. "He can stay with me. Chief must be some wolf to tame James Ellison." 

Jim shut the doors then started heading back to lodge. "He's the best friend a man could have. Blair insisted we rescue you." 

"Where is Blair? I expected him to be in the snowmobile under blankets, sipping hot chocolate," asked Naomi, sharing her seat with her two friends and an over-affectionate wolf. 

Jim shrugged his shoulders as they headed down hill in the early morning light. 

"Don't apologize. I know how my son feels about cold." 

_Mom, I traveled by cargo hold and dug through feet of snow for you._ Blair shook off the last few remaining flakes off his coat and licked his mom's face. So much for the magic of mother love, she truly didn't recognize her boy. 

"When did you get Chief?" asked Naomi. 

"He materialized in my life last March. Blair and I will explain Chief after you have had a warm shower. Let's care for your needs first." Jim parked the ambulance in front of the lodge and helped Naomi to the elevator as Ethan led the other two women to the infirmary. 

"I'm the partner with the hands. You're the one with the soulful amber eyes and all the female attention." Jim opened the door to the hotel room. "You can shower here. Blair packed the clothes you left at the loft last time you visited." 

"Thank you," said Naomi, following the wolf into the room. "I thought Blair would be waiting in the room for us." 

"Shower." Jim tossed his hands in the air. "Blair will explain everything once you are warm and dry." 

Blair gave Jim a knowing glance. _I know my mother is impossible. Her needs come first right now._

While Naomi was showering, Jim tucked Blair into a blanket. Seeing her son change from wolf to human would be traumatic enough. They could, at least, spare her from seeing her adult son naked. Blair peeked his head out of the blanket. Wearing a dry muumuu, Naomi came out of the shower with her wet hair in a towel. 

Jim said, "Sit by Chief on the bed." 

Naomi did as told. The wolf stayed in his blanket and rested his face on Naomi's lap. Blair focused on firing the nerve endings needed to start the transformation. Once the transformation started it took care of itself. All Blair needed to do was start the process. 

In a second or less, Blair was looking at Naomi through human eyes. "Mommy," he said, nuzzling his face into her chest. His mother collapsed onto the bed. "Jim, I need smelling salts. Naomi passed out." 

Blair put on his long john then his usual flannel and demin while Jim took smelling salts out of the First Aid kit. Jim put them under Naomi's nose. The woman did astral projection and she passed out. Supporting her back, Jim helped her sit up. 

Naomi took a cleansing breath. "Did I see what I though I saw?" 

Blair finished buttoning his flannel shirt then took his mother's hand. "Naomi, I have lycanthropy. Dry your hair and Jim can order us a room service breakfast." 

"You have lycanthropy," Naomi repeated. "What does this mean?" 

"With me, it means I change into a wolf and I tend to engage in wolf like behavior," explained Blair. "I happen to be a experimental group of one. Rhonda and a couple of my friends at Rainer have been helping me research the subject." 

Naomi placed a hand on her son's shoulder. "What have you found out so far?" 

Jim said, "The legends contradicts each other. We need to find more actual case studies." 

"You would think it would be easier doing research on werewolves than sentinels," commented Naomi. 

Jim turned his chair to face Naomi. "The instincts that help him find a snowshoe hare in a sea of white, don't translate into finding a single fact in a sea of misinformation." 

"Naomi, you learn to accept the unacceptable." Tears ran down Blair's face. "The day it first happened I caught myself digging in the dirt and stopped myself. My ability to dig saved you and your friends." 

"Please, don't cry," said Naomi. 

"It's a symptom of my disease." Blair wiped his face with his sleeve. "My emotions tend to run hot and cold. The slightest bit of praise and I'm wagging my tail." 

"You said that you engage in wolf-like behavior," Naomi said. "Do you want to tell me about it?" 

"It isn't important." Blair rested against his mother. "I lick people and have to remind myself to kiss with my lips. Canines don't have sweat glands and pant to cool off. People see this young man sitting with his mouth open and his tongue sticking out. People with Down's Syndrome also have their mouths open." 

"Sweetie, do people see you as retarded?" 

"It's better than them seeing a man-eating beast." Blair took his mother's hand. "I'm a werewolf. I'm going to be a werewolf until I die." 

"My son is the property of CPD." 

"It's a formality," said Jim. "All dogs in the city limits need to be licensed. Blair belongs to Blair. Naomi, I know you believe in no-kill animal shelters, but not all shelters have that policy. We need to keep Blair safe." 

"The city also signs my paycheck," Blair said. "I'm no one's slave. I wrote you that I'm a clerk-typist for the City of Cascade. Captain Banks forced my application through Human Resources." 

"You belong to someone else," yelled Naomi. 

Blair took her hands. "Simon gave me the tag. It lets me work as a police dog. I hated it at first." 

"He hid under my bed," said Jim. 

"Not a smart move," said Blair. "There are dust bunnies that pre-date Carolyn. I then bolted for the stairs and jumped. I would have jumped the three stories to the sidewalk if Jim didn't stop me. He looked so apologetic when he slipped the collar on me and promised me he would never give my leash to anyone else." 

"Has he kept his word?" asked Naomi. 

"In eight months, I've never been handed to anyone else. When I do police work, I stay under Jim's desk and ride in his car. I have never been in the police kennel." 

"The officers in the K-9 unit hate me," Jim said, "I'm sure your mother is hungry." 

"Starved." Naomi brushed out her hair. "I lost my key during the avalanche." 

"The management will give you a new one," said Blair. "What is important is you're alive." 

"I haven't thanked you," Naomi said. "Thank you, Sweetie." 

"Blair smelled you in the snow cave," said Jim. 

"I smelled people," said Blair. "I couldn't remember your odor. I remembered your cookies, your hairspray, your nail polish, but I couldn't remember anything that said Naomi Sandburg." 

"Sage." Jim ordered for room service for the three of them; Blair needed two jumbo breakfasts, oatmeal and fruit for Naomi and two breakfast sandwiches for himself. He also ordered a large pot of coffee. 

* * *

Ethan Kim went over to Naomi while they were sitting in the lounge. Naomi wanted to stay in which wasn't surprising after being buried alive. "Ms. Sandburg, you never came to the infirmary." 

"Mr. Ellison was a medic in the army," said Naomi. "He said all I needed was a shower and dry clothes." 

"Do you know where Mr. Ellison and his wolf are?" asked Kim. 

"I haven't seen them since about eight o'clock," said Naomi. "Mr. Kim, this is my son, Blair Sandburg." 

"Hello, Mr. Sandburg," said the paramedic. 

Blair took out his hand to shake. "Hello, thank you for rescuing my mother." 

Kim shook the young man's hand. "Ellison's wolf did all the work. The resort would love for Ellison to talk to the press and possibly have some pictures taken with the wolf." 

"I'll talk to him," said Blair. 

"What room are you staying in?" Kim asked. 

Blair grinned since he hadn't been checked into the hotel or technically traveled here. He had no plane or bus ticket. "Mom, what room are we staying in?" 

"Mr. Sandburg, have a pleasant stay," Kim said. 

"Thank you." Blair watched Kim talk to a woman at guest services. "I don't have a coat." 

"How could you of all people forget a coat?" 

"It isn't something I normally pack in a suitcase. Jim had to remind me to pack my shoes. The ski store sells jackets." 

"And pay those prices?" 

"Why do they want pictures?" 

"You rescued three people. You're famous. I'm proud of you." 

"I work a nine to five job. Photos will mess up my circadian rhythm," said Blair. "Chief is at a kennel being groomed." 

"Let's talk in my room." Naomi walked with him to the room and sat on the bed. "Sweetie, I don't want to upset you, but I'm ignorant about werewolves. Don't they change on the full moon?" 

Blair took a chair and looked out the window at the snow. "I change most nights. On the rare occasions I go to bed human, I wake up a wolf." 

"If this only happens at night, why did Simon get you a license?" 

Blair turned in his chair to look at his mother. "I was a wolf for over two weeks before changing back for longer than a few seconds. I figured I was looking forward to a life of kibble and playing Frisbee." 

"You're human now?" 

"For a few hours. When Jim and Simon took me for my shots, they kept saying temporary measures and to go along with the flow. My reading comprehension isn't what it once was, but in none of the werewolf stories is the curse/condition/disease temporary." 

"How are you managing?" 

"I'm happy most of the time as long as paramedics don't ask for pictures. I play with Jim and Megan. I wrote you about her." 

"She's the detective from Australia that Jim has been dating the last six months." 

"I think Jim should pop the question. He's nervous about marrying another cop because he divorced Carolyn. I like Megan. She plays catch with me and takes me for walks." 

"You said Jim promised never to hand your leash to another person." 

"I gave her my approval. I pissed on Cassie because she wasn't good enough to do Jim's laundry. I have my humans well trained." Blair stood up and returned to looking out the window. "I'm hungry." 

"You just ate breakfast." 

"One good thing about being a typist is I get coffee breaks. Henri says someone who eats like me should weigh 300 pounds. My vet said I an a healthy 72 kilograms." 

A tear rolled down her cheek. "My son is talking about his vet." 

"I won't to see him again until next year since I'm a healthy active wolf of two to three years. I'm going to the lobby to get more food, maybe, the breakfast buffet is still open." Blair kissed Naomi's wet cheek. "Good-bye, Mom." 

* * *

After spend the most of the day with her friends, Naomi saw Blair sitting in the lounge where a folk singer was playing. She walked over to Blair and sat down. "Sweetie, where is Jim?" 

"He went horseback riding. He should be back by now. I don't ride anything with a mind of its own, besides I don't have a coat. The resort is covering everything. Mom, can I have some money for a granola bar?" 

"You left your wallet home, too." 

He shrugged his shoulders. 

"I'm glad you are Jim's responsibility, not mine." 

"I'm over eighteen. I'm responsible for me." 

"You left your wallet and coat home. You're real responsible." 

"Mom, you're the expert at sponging off people. I have a job. I pay for my food, half the utilities, and the bus when Jim can't drive me to work." 

"Do you want to eat dinner with me?" 

"I usually have IAMs for dinner." 

"IAMs?" 

"Simon buys Purina One. I was a wolf for two weeks. I told Jim not to waste his money on expensive dog food. He says I'm worth IAMs." Blair leaned against the back of the sofa, gripped the sofa and closed his eyes. His whole body tensed then relaxed. 

"What just happened?" 

"Do you want to take me to your hotel room or I can undress in the women's room?" 

"Woman's room?" 

"People get nervous when they see an unescorted wolf." 

"Let's go to my room." Pushing the button for the elevator, Naomi felt as if she would cry, again. She had to be brave for her son who was leaning against the wall having a seizure or fighting one back. After she saw his body relax, she said, "What would have happened if you didn't find me?" 

"Chief is pretty famous. I have photos tomorrow. I'm sure Kim or whoever is on-duty would keep me safe until Jim got back." Blair ran toward the bathroom near the restaurant. "Ladies' room." 

Naomi ran in after him then blocked the stall with her body. When she heard a wolf scratching on the door, she opened the stall. "We can get a plastic bag at the gift shop." 

As the wolf sat on the bathroom floor, she folded his clothes, pocketed Blair's cell phone and put his shoes on top of the pile. They went to the gift shop and she asked for a bag. Now they could get to her room. She walked beside Blair. She didn't have a leash, not that she would approve of anyone putting a leash on her son. 

"Nice dog," said a lady also waiting for an elevator. 

"Chief's a wolf," said Naomi. "He rescued me and two other skiers this morning. His owner went horseback riding and I'm wolf sitting." 

"He rescued you?" 

"Yeah, he dug a tunnel in the snow bank we were buried in and got us out. Without him, we would have frozen to death." Naomi recalled huddling with her friends for warmth. Their body heat would have only kept them warm for so long. She couldn't feel her fingers must have been an hour before Blair got there. 

After they got in the elevator, the lady asked, "Can I pet him?" 

"You shouldn't pet a service animal, but since he isn't working, sure." 

Blair's tail wagged as she patted him. 

"He's a beautiful animal." 

Naomi agreed with the woman. When she got to her room she put his clothes on her dresser. "I'm going to put on my coat, hat and gloves then we can go for a walk." 

Blair wagged his tail and beamed at her. 

"Chief, after your walk, I'll call Jim and you can have IAMs." As she dressed for the snow, she watched Blair look out the window. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth and he had this look in his eyes of anticipation. "Let's go." 

Naomi sat under the lodge awning as Blair ran out into the snow then lifted his leg to pee. He dug into the snow and brought back a stick. "You want to play fetch?" 

Blair wagged his tail and barked. 

As she tossed the stick as hard as she could, tears started to stream down her face. Blair ran after the stick and returned with the stick in his mouth still beaming with joy. Naomi stood up and threw the stick again trying not to let Blair see her tears. 

Jim ran over to Blair and hugged him. "Chief, did you miss me? We didn't pack any IAMs so you'll have to make due with Dog Chow tonight." 

Blair licked Jim's face. 

"Naomi, thanks for watching him. I don't want you to travel in cargo again. There is no cell phone service here so I had to ride into town to call Simon. We're taking a bus back tomorrow afternoon." 

"I didn't mean to cry," Naomi said as she walked over to Jim. 

"He isn't suffering," Jim said, roughhousing with the wolf in the snow. Blair had him pinned and was licking his face. After shaking the snow out off his ski jacket, Jim tried to stand, but fell back into the soft snow. "Enough, Big Guy." 

"I realize that," Naomi said. "In a way that hurts more." 

Jim pushed the overly friendly wolf off him. "Cut the roughhousing, I'm not another wolf. Crocodile Dundee was lying about only seeing crocs at the Sydney Zoo." 

* * *

Conner managed to catch the football after Jim hurled it like a bullet. "Jimbo, you have to do better than that. I grew up playing Rugby with my brothers and they gave me no breaks for being a sheila." She threw the ball to the wolf and he bought it back in his mouth. She shook off some of the drool. "You live with Sandy and Chief. Yet, I never see Sandy." 

"No, Blair has his own friends. He doesn't hang out with us cops." 

"Henri told me that Sandy is a werewolf." 

Jim laughed. "Ever since Cassie Wells claimed to find a naked Blair in basement, that rumor has been going around. A rational woman like you doesn't believe in such nonsense?" 

"Of course, not." She threw the ball long, but Jim managed to catch it. 

Jim threw the ball to Blair. "Megan, let's drop Chief at home at go out somewhere nice." 

Megan took the ball from Blair and smiled. "Whatever you say, Jimbo." 

After the three of them went back to the loft, Jim put of Blair's food, fresh water and his favorite CD in the player. While Megan was using the loo, Jim said to Blair. "I'm going to ask her tonight." 

_You've been talking to yourself all week. You must have opened that ring case a hundred times._ Blair wagged his tail. 

Megan said, "Stop talking to Sandy. I'm ravished." 

"He isn't here," Jim yelled. 

"That's the point," said Megan. "I've been over your flat how many times? Sandy is never here. Why would he keep his clothes at a flat he doesn't bunk at? Besides you always call Sandy Chief." 

"You want me; you have to take Blair." 

"I would never separate you from your best mate. You and Sandy are a package deal." Megan and Jim kissed before leaving Blair alone for the night. It was after mid-night when they got back and they were kissing even more. The evening must have gone well. Blair stayed in his room, not wanting to interrupt the happy couple. Megan walked over to Blair and kneeled down to hug him. "Sandy, I'm going to be your mistress." 

21 

* * *

End Wolf Whistles 8 by Athena: athena@fateordestiny.com

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